I bet the words most uttered during the next couple of weeks is going to be, "Can you believe it's July already?”. We are halfway through the year; closer to the end than to the beginning; very soon, “Jingle Bells” will be the soundtrack in every grocery store…
In Afrikaans, we have an expression, "oor die hond se stert" -- Over the dog's umm... backside. It means that the worst is over and it's all downhill from here. While some may find that comforting, I’m sure many share my sentiments: HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?!
Lol - jokes aside, it’s not that bad. Yes, I’m slightly panic-stricken (after all, the rollercoaster picks up speed on the way down!), but on the other hand, I feel pretty good about how the first six months of 2023 played out, and there is still a lot to look forward to this year!
Most notably, I’m committed to producing my first ever wildlife calendar later this year (please take a moment to complete this quick survey to help me make it the best I possibly can)! I purposefully use the word “committed”: This is a big undertaking. Twelve super-realistic artworks featuring twelve stunningly unique SA critters, one for each month of the year. The number twelve has never seemed so… countless!
That being said, it has been wonderful to really set aside time to BE AN ARTIST. I realise that sounds kind of funny, since my job description is, well, Artist. The truth is, up until six months ago (long before we made it past the dog’s bum), I was less of an artist, and more of a running-like-a-mad-headless-chicken-to-manage-my-small-business-including-all-the-nitty-gritty-shitty-little-and-not-so-little-things-that-it-takes-to-keep-the-ship-afloat-robot-person (try fitting that on a business card!)…
And then, at the beginning of this year, I decided on my Word of the Year: Rethink. I rethought (rethunk?) what I wanted my day-to-day to look like, and where I wanted all those day-to-days, put together, to lead.
I wanted to paint more.
Let’s be honest now — saying “I want to” doesn’t make it so. None of us are infallible and we all need some kind of a push/system/accountability/support network (preferably all of the above) to stay on track. There is only so much time in a day, and so much energy to go around. We all juggle. We all drop balls.
I’m not there yet, but I’m eating my elephant one bite at a time. I’m held accountable by my amazing business coach and a group of fantabulous, like-minded, girl-boss entrepreneurs that inspire me. And I’m held accountable because I shared with you all here that I’m committed to getting this calendar done! Watch this space…!
Since we’re doing the mid-year, doggy-derriere-balance, let me take a moment to thank you all for following along my happy struggling journey. I love compiling this newsletter every month. It feels like a summery of wins (and even fails); it holds me accountable; and most importantly, it reminds me that I’m not alone. So many of you respond in kind, sharing a bit of news, telling me that you liked something I created, speaking words of encouragement and support. Thank you - I really, really appreciate it!
Wishing you all the very best for the second half of this chaotic, maddening, terrifying, fantastic, challenging, beautiful ride that is 2023! Hang in there!
PS - here are a just few of the 'little guys' that will be featured in my 2024 wildlife calendar:
An Aardvark on a mission: "Almost Home"
A pair of adorable Cape Foxes: "Nit-picking"
The elusive African Wildcat: "Whisker me away"
